Alfredsson removed from broadcast for inappropriate remark

Former LPGA player Helen Alfredsson was removed from the OSN Sports telecast of the Ladies European Tour's Omega Dubai Ladies Masters for an "inappropriate" remark pertaining to a helicopter crash that killed nine people in Glasgow, Scotland, last week, the National reported.

Alfredsson, winner of seven LPGA events, including the Nabisco Dinah Shore in 1993, made an off-handed attempt at humor when a helicopter flew overheard, saying she "hoped they are better pilots than they are in Scotland," the Daily Mail reported.

She issued an apology through the LET that said, "Regretfully, I made an inappropriate and distasteful comment on air today and apologize unreservedly for any offense that was caused by this mistake. I did not intend to hurt anybody and I am devastated if I have hurt anyone. I feel very embarrassed because this was not intended in any shape or form."

Alfredsson was replaced in the booth by Carin Koch, a fellow Swede, who had played in the tournament, but missed the cut.

Earlier, Steve Elkington, now a Champions Tour player, was taken to task for a similarly misguided attempt at humor via Twitter regarding the helicopter crash. "Golf is governed by so many rules," Tom English wrote in the Scotsman. "What about the rules pertaining to a guy who thinks it's funny to ridicule a disaster and not having the basic human decency to say sorry afterwards? What is the penalty for an offence like that?"

Elkington later claimed that he was unaware there were injuries, when he posted his Tweet.